Patent — available for licensing
Biocybernetic VR/AR Training System for De-Escalating Conflict
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
NASA Langley’s innovative biocybernetic system employs a blend of hardware and software within a virtual/augmented/mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) environment. Its purpose is to provide psychophysiological self-regulation training, specifically geared toward helping individuals de-escalate conflicts in real-world scenarios. In this system, trainees or their avatars engage with simulated social situations involving conflict. The virtual characters they interact with are designed to present varying levels of threat or cooperation. What sets this approach apart is its continuous measurement of the trainee's cognitive and emotional states through biofeedback. The system's feedback mechanism is distinct, and drives the behavior of the virtual characters. Trainees are rewarded when they effectively achieve the desired mental and physiological states, resulting in desirable character responses. Conversely, ineffective states lead to undesirable character behavior, effectively penalizing the trainee. NASA has tailored this technology for de-escalation training, aiming to reduce physical responses in situations such as customer service interactions, flight attendant-passenger interactions, or police encounters. The system adapts the behavior of non-player characters based on the trainee's ability to attain the desired state, providing a dynamic and immersive training experience.